The year of 'buying no new stuff'

It's that time of year when the world seems endless with potential and change; today is the day when the change begins and out of last years failures rises a  new and fresh opportunity to become more of who we want to be. I love a New Year challenge and this year is no exception.

My last purchase in 2013.
I hope they will remind me to be a wise old owl
and stop shopping!

This is the year of 'buying no new stuff' for me ( and to varying degrees, my family). Gulp. I am very excited about this but also a little bit scared. Scared because I am going to find it painful and inconvenient and it is going to challenge my primitive need to consume to the core. But I want that challenge. Where as once upon a time the need to acquire meant to survive, or not, it now means more and greater excess, and I'm not sure it makes us happy. And its certainly not good for our beautiful gift of the earth.

My main reason for not buying new stuff this year is I am worried about the state of the earth. We consume as though the earth's resources are infinite and that the waste we produce just disappears when it is out of our sight.             Unfortunately it does not. And that has all sorts of consequences. 

I also want to challenge my need to consume and acquire. I am a consumer more than I care to be or admit. I was not made for this. And I am ready to learn to be content with what we have (which is loads, shed loads). Contentment is going to be key.

So, the rules.

1. Buy nothing new. As in, shiny, out the packet, never been used by anyone else.

2. It is ok to buy second hand items. But, to challenge my need to consume, (gulp), only when we need something.

3. We can buy food and toiletries. (But with an attitude of 'let's use what we've got first'). And pants if we need them! Oh, and perhaps printer ink.

There will be lots of challenges, and perhaps a few fails (where do I get a second hand Brownie gilet which doesn't haven't have someone else's badges all over it?), but I also hope to discover lots of fun stuff, I look forward to greater creativity, contentment and time. I guess I might even have some more money, which could be used for fun times. Happy days.

I look forward to sharing my journey with you over the next months.

I would love to hear your new years challenges or resolutions, please leave a comment.

May you have a wonderful start to 2014, full of peace and joy.

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